UEFI BIOS NO SATA DRIVES WHEN IRST Activated

[Cziv]

Hello,

I have an Asus PRIME Z370-P II and have installed an M10 16gb module, after a LOT of trouble.

Several problems and questions. I will ask two most important for now.

1. When i activate IRST (ON / OFF) in my uefi ASUS mb, all SATA drives listed in there are gone from the list (n/a). Also m2.2 also n/a while the M10 is IN the m2.2. Is that normal? They seem to work fine in Windows, Optane and everything.
2. In my Crystal Disk benchmark, the READ are trippled but the writes are limited to around 178 in all disks i have tried (even SSD). While without Optane enabled are around double or tripple.

Here is a photo:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dRjX8Svz_X6w-slTcI3c2iAiAjlgQm6N

Thanks

[n_scott_pearson]

Implementations can vary from one BIOS to another. Typically, when you go into the BIOS and activate RST, you must save the BIOS Configuration, exit from BIOS Setup and, during the subsequent POST, use the key necessary to enter BIOS Setup again. Only then will the drives be shown. Note, however, that if RST is active and RAID array(s) have been created, the RAID array(s) will appear in the drives list but the HDDs contained within these RAID array(s) will not. The same goes for cases where RST is enabled and Optane HDD acceleration is active; the logical volume encompassing the Optane module and the HDD being accelerated will appear in the drives list but the physical Optane module and the HDD itself will not.

When Optane HDD acceleration is active, I believe that running a benchmark on the logical drive will show the raw read/write capabilities of the Optane module, not the accelerated drive.

Hope this helps,

...S

[Cziv]

So what you say is that what i see in the main page of my BIOS (as the photo i posted) with n/a is correct ? Or not ?

I'm not sure i understand your reply. The whole setup is 100% correct and Optane seems to work right, no errors, no Windows event error.

Thanks

[n_scott_pearson]

What I am saying is that, if you have RST disabled and you enable it, you cannot trust what you see in the drive display until you have rebooted and re-entered BIOS Setup. I can't say anything for certain regarding your photo because I don't know the sequence of events that got you to this point.

...S

[n_scott_pearson]

What don't you understand?

[Santiago_A_Intel]

Hi Cziv,

Greetings from Intel® SSD Support Group, we are handling a case on your request for support for your Intel® Optane™ Memory Series 16GB, M.2 80mm PCIe 3.0, 20nm, 3D Xpoint™.

We have seen the posts placed by community members, please let us know if you might need further assistance.

We are looking forward to your reply.

Have a nice day.

Santiago A.

Intel® Customer Support Technician

Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[Cziv]

I'm sorry, i got none of my 2 questions answered.

[n_scott_pearson]

I answered your first question in my last response.

I answered your second question in my first response. You simply cannot use applications like Crystal DiskMark with Optane modules in the picture; they will only show you the raw capabilities of the Optane Module, not the overall performance of the accelerated drive.

...S

[Cziv]

@n.scott.pearson​ 

... and i thank you for your reply about the limited write speed shown in Crystal Disk Mark and Optane. I can't imagine that the raw capabilities (as you say) are so low (170-180). Something else happens but i have no idea what.

Also what is the correct tool to measure Optane ? I see Crystal Disk Mark in ALL reviews of Optane in the Net.

BTW: about my 1st question about the Asus motherboard, i got a reply from ASUS (and a photo) that this is the way it happens. When you enable RST within the uefi bios, the SATA list shows as n/a.

[n_scott_pearson · Accepted solution]

There is simply no way to properly benchmark an Optane-accelerated HDD. Any attempt to do so will only yield the raw capabilities of the module.

The raw capabilities of the module are as I indicated. The ARK page for one of the Intel Optane Memory modules indicates: "Sequential Read (up to) 1350 MB/s. Sequential Write (up to) 290 MB/s.". The ARK page for one of the Intel Optane Memory M10 modules indicates: "Sequential Read (up to) 1200 MB/s; Sequential Write (up to) 290 MB/s.".

...S

[Cziv]

Even so, write speed 170-180 mb/s is much lower than expected.